This application is the national stage entry of PCT/FR01/00923, filed Mar. 27, 2001.
The present invention concerns new derivatives of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin, which may be used, in particular, for fixing and separating ions, such as ions of cobalt, the lanthanides and uranyl.
It may, in particular, be applied to the field of environmental decontamination, and human decontamination, of these polluting ions.
Cyclodextrins or cyclo-malto-oligosaccharides are compounds that occur naturally, formed from chains of xcex1-linked (1,4) glucose groups.
Extensive studies have shown that these compounds are capable of forming inclusion complexes with hydrophobic molecules, which allow them to be rendered soluble in aqueous media. Numerous applications have been proposed to take advantage of this phenomenon, particularly in the pharmaceutical field, as described by D. Duchxc3xaane in xe2x80x9cPharmaceutical application of cyclodextrinsxe2x80x9d in xe2x80x9cCyclodextrins and their industrial usesxe2x80x9d. D. Duchxc3xaane, Ed., Editions de Santxc3xa9, Paris, 1987, pages 213-257 (I).
Pharmaceutical specialities have already been commercialised in Japan, in Italy and, more recently, in France, in the form of complexes in cyclodextrins. In France, the first active ingredient marketed in the form of an inclusion complex in a cyclodextrin is Piroxicam, an anti-inflammatory sold by Pierre Fabre Mxc3xa9dicament, under the trade name BREXIN(copyright). Amongst the very many modified derivatives of these cyclodextrins, those in which the cavity is turned round itself have interesting properties, even though their ability to include organic molecules is lost or very limited. Compounds of this type are per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrins.
The synthesis of these per-anhydro-cyclodextrins was initially described in 1991 in document (2): A. Gadelle and J. Defaye, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., (1991), 30, pages 78-79; and document (3): P. R. Ashton, P. Ellwood, I. Staton and J. F. Stoddart, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., (1991), 30, pages 80-81, and it has been demonstrated that these derivatives have favourable solubility in water as well as in organic solvents. Some later studies (document (4): H. Yamamura and K. Fujita, Chem. Pharm. Bull., (1991), 39, pages 2505-2508; document (5): H. Yamamura, T. Ezuka, Y. Kawase, M. Kawai, Y. Butsugan and K. Fujita, J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Com., (1993), pages 636-637; and document (6): H. Yamamura, H. Nagaoka, M. Kawai and Y. Butsugan, Tetrahedron Lett. (1995), 36, pages 1093-1094) have, moreover, shown that these per-anhydro derivatives can complex alkaline ions with quite significant selectivity.
Document FR-A-2 744 127 (7) and document FR-A-2 764 525 (8) describe other derivatives of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrins substituted in position 2, which are useful for the separation of different ions, and in particular potassium and caesium in the case of document (7), thanks to the presence of an acetyl substituent, or lead in the case of document (8), thanks to the presence of a methyl substituent.
However, it is not possible to obtain satisfactory separation by complexation of ions of cobalt, uranyl and the lanthanides, such as dysprosium, which pollute the environment, with the derivatives described in these documents.
Moreover, the lanthanide ions are toxic to living organisms because they disrupt calcium and sodium ionic exchanges. Thus, lanthane, which is the same size as calcium but which does not have the same valency, disrupts exchanges, as described by C. H. Evans in xe2x80x9cInteractions of Lanthanides with Tissues, Cells and Cellular Organellesxe2x80x9d in Biochemistry of the Lanthanides, C. H. Evans Ad., Plenum Press, New York, 1990, pp. 211-283 (9).
The present invention precisely concerns new derivatives of per-anhydro-cyclodextrins in which the substituent in the 2 position is selected to provide them with properties for complexing polluting ions such as Co2+, UO22+ and the lanthanide ions such as Dy3+ and Eu3+.
According to the invention, the derivative of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin corresponds to one of the following formulae: 
in which at least one of the R1 groups represents the group xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and the other R1 groups, which may be identical or different, represent a group that corresponds to one of the following formulae: OH, OR2, SH, SR2, OCOR2, NH2, NHR2, NR2R3, CONH2, CONHR2, CONR2R3, CN, COOR2, COOH and R2, in which R2 and R3, which may be identical or different, represent an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group, either saturated or unsaturated, which may include one or several hetero-atoms comprising O, S and N, and n is equal to 6, 7 or 8.
In the cyclodextrin derivative with formula (I) or (II), the aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon groups that may be used for R2 and R3 may be different types. They are composed of a carbon chain in which certain carbon atoms may be replaced by one or several hetero-atoms such as O, S and N, and they can include one or several ethylenic or acetylenic unsaturated groups. Furthermore, the hydrocarbon group may comprise various substituents, in particular functional groups or halogen atoms. The aromatic hydrocarbon groups may be composed of a phenyl or a tosyl group, which may be substituted, for example by alkyl groups with between 1 and 20 carbon atoms.
R2 and R3 may, in particular, represent a linear or branched alkyl group with between 1 and 20 carbon atoms.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the derivative of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin is a derivative of xcex1-cyclodextrin, in other words, where n=6 in the formulae (I) and (II) given above.
Even more preferably, the derivative used corresponds to formula (I), in which all of the R1 groups represent the group xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and n is equal to 6.
The cyclodextrin derivatives according to the invention may be prepared by various procedures.
When the cyclodextrin derivative corresponds to formulae (I) or (II) given above, in which at least one of the R1 groups represents the group xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and the other R1 groups represent OH or another group and n is equal to 6, 7 and 8, these may be prepared by a procedure comprising the following stages:
1) reacting a per-anhydro-cyclodextrin, which corresponds to one of the formulae:
(III) or (IV) 
in which n is equal to 6, 7 or 8, with a alkali metal hydride, in order to convert the OH group(s) into OM group(s), where M represents an alkali metal;
2) reacting, in an alkaline medium, the modified per-anhydro-cyclodextrin obtained in 1) with a halide with the formula XCH2COOR4, in which X represents a halogen atom such as Cl, and R4 represents H, Si(CH3)3 or an alkali metal, in sufficient quantity to ensure that at least one of the OM group(s) is converted into a xe2x80x94CH2COOR4 group;
3) reacting, in the case where all of the OM groups have not been converted into xe2x80x94OCH2COOR4 groups, the remaining OM groups with one or several reagents in order to convert them into R1 groups that are intentionally different to xe2x80x94OCH2COOH; and
4) treating the derivative of per-anhydro-cyclodextrin obtained in 3) with an alcohol, water or a slightly acid medium in order to convert the xe2x80x94OCH2COOR4 groups into xe2x80x94OCH2COOH groups.
In order to carry out stage 2), sufficient XCH2COOR4 is used to modify one or several of the OH groups in the cyclodextrin.
In stage 4), when R4 represents M, the xe2x80x94OCH2COOR4 groups are converted into xe2x80x94OCH2COOH groups through the action of an alcohol such as methanol. Water may also be used, but the reaction is more violent.
When R4 represents Si(CH3)3, a slightly acid medium is used to regenerate the acid function.
When the cyclodextrin derivative corresponds to formulae (I) or (II) given above, in which the other R1 groups represent OR2, where R2 has the signification given above, the same procedure described previously is followed in order to introduce the xe2x80x94OCH2COOM groups, then the derivative is reacted with a halide with the formula R2X, in which R2 has the signification given above, and X is a halogen atom.
When the cyclodextrin derivative corresponds to formulae (I) or (II), in which the other R1 groups represent OCOR2, the same procedure described previously is followed in order to introduce, firstly, the xe2x80x94OCH2COOM groups, then the resulting derivative is reacted with a halide or acid anhydride with the formulae R2COX or (R2CO)2O, in which R2 has the signification given above, and X is a halogen atom, in order to replace the remaining hydroxyl groups by OCOR2 groups.
When one wishes to prepare a cyclodextrin derivative in which the other R1 group(s) represent a halogen atom or a group with the formulae SH, SR2, NH2, NR2R3, CONR2R3, CONH2, CN, COOR2, COOH, or R2, where R2 and R3 have the signification given above, and where n is equal to 6, 7 or 8, one can carry out the following stages, starting with a partially modified per-anhydro-cyclodextrin, in other words, one in which at least one of the R1 groups represents xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and the other R1 groups represent OH, and by carrying out the following stages:
1) reacting this per-anhydro-cyclodextrin with an alkali metal halide in order to convert the OH group(s) into OM group(s), where M represents an alkali metal;
2) reacting the modified per-anhydro-cyclodextrin obtained in 1) with a chloride that corresponds to the formula ClSO2R2, where R2 has the signification given above, in order to obtain the derivative that corresponds to formulae (I) or (II), in which at least one of the R1 groups is a group with the formula OSO2R2; and
3) reacting the derivative obtained in stage 2) with one or several appropriate reagents in order to replace the OSO2R2 group by the desired R1 group.
In this procedure, the per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin is firstly converted into an alcoholate through the action of an alkali metal hydride, then this alcoholate is converted into the derivative comprising a group initially with the formula OSO2R2, which is then reacted, in one or several stages, with one or several appropriate reagents in order to replace this initial group by the desired R1 group.
Thus, in the case where it is desired that R1 represents NH2, the compound described in stage 2) may be reacted with N3M. The compound obtained in this manner, called an azide, can be subjected to catalytic hydrogenation or be treated with ammonia NH3, in order to obtain the product where R1 represents NH2.
In the case where it is desired that R1 represents NHR2 or NR2R3, the product may be obtained by reacting the compound described in stage 2) with NH2R2 or NHR2R3.
In the case where it is desired that R1 represents SH or SR2, the compound described in stage 2) may be reacted with a halide Xxe2x88x92, which gives the compound where (R1=X), and which is then reacted with HSxe2x88x92 or R2Sxe2x88x92, in order to give a compound where R1 represents SH or SR2.
In the case where it is desired that R1 represents a hydrocarbon group, R12LiCu (where R1 represents a hydrocarbon group) is used to give a final compound where R1 then represents a hydrocarbon group.
In the same way, the compound where R1 represents a halogen may be reacted with CNxe2x88x92 in order to give a final compound where R1 represents CN.
In the same way, the compound where R1 represents CN may, through partial controlled hydrolysis, give a compound where R1 represents CONH2. The compound where R1 represents CN may, through complete hydrolysis, give a compound where R1 represents COOH.
The compound where R1 represents COOH may, through esterification, give a compound where R1 represents COOR2.
The compound where R1 represents COOH may be reacted with NHR2R3 or NH2R2 in the presence of DCC (dicyclohexyl carbodiimide) in order to give a compound where R1 represents NR2R3 or NH2R2.
The per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin derivatives according to the invention may be used, in particular, for fixing or separating ions.
Thus, another object of the invention is a process for fixing or separating ions, which consists in bringing into contact a medium containing the said ions with a derivative of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin that corresponds to one of the following formulae: 
in which at least one of the R1 groups represents the group xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and the other R1 groups, which may be identical or different, represent a group that corresponds to one of the following formulae: OH, OR2, SH, SR2, OCOR2, NH2, NHR2, NR2R3, CONHR2, CONR2R3, CONH2, CN, COOR2, COOH and R2, in which R2 and R3, which may be identical or different, represent an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group, either saturated or unsaturated, which may include one or several hetero-atoms comprising O, S and N, and n is equal to 6, 7 or 8, in order to fix the said ions in the form of a complex with the per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin derivative and separating them from the said medium.
Various types of ions may fixed or separated by the process according to the invention; they may, for example, be ions of the actinides, such as uranyl, the lanthanides or of polluting metals such as cobalt.
The process according to the invention applies, in particular, to the separation and fixing of cobalt and the lanthanide ions in the form of complexes.
In fact, cobalt, the lanthanides, and their derivatives pollute the environment and are toxic to both humans and animals. The main toxicological effects are on neurological development and the correct working of the nervous system. It is therefore necessary to separate and eliminate these ions from the environment and to store them in a safe manner.
In addition, products that could ensure decontamination of cobalt and the lanthanides in living organisms, while preventing them acting on the nervous system and on other organs, would be of great interest in resolving these problems.
According to the invention, it has been found that derivatives of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin, which correspond to the formulae (I) and (II) given above, have high specificity for cobalt and the lanthanides, and are capable of complexing with them, with yields that can reach 100%, even in the presence of other ions, such as sodium ions.
In this manner, it is possible to separate cobalt and the lanthanides from the environment in the form of complexes.
Thus, another object of the invention concerns metal complexes chosen from Dy, Eu, Lu, La and Co and derivatives of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin that correspond to the formulae (I) and (II) described above.
In order to implement the ion separation process according to the invention, the derivatives of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin, which correspond to formulae (I) or (II), may be used in the form of an aqueous solution or organic solution.
When the medium containing the ions that need to be separated or fixed is an aqueous solution, the derivative of cyclodextrin may be dissolved in an organic solvent that is immiscible with the aqueous solution, for example in chloroform, in order to form the complex in the organic solution and to separate it easily from the aqueous solution.
The cyclodextrin derivative may also be used in an aqueous solution, particularly when decontaminating living organisms.
In fact, it is known that cyclodextrin derivatives with the formulae (I) or (II) are bio-compatible compounds. They may therefore be administered to humans or animals in order to fix cobalt or the lanthanides in the form of complexes and thus avoid them interacting with the body organs of humans or animals.
Thus, another object of the invention concerns a pharmaceutical composition for the decontamination of the lanthanides and cobalt from living organisms, whereby it comprises a derivative of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin that corresponds to one of the formulae (I) and (II) described above and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Preferably, the derivative of per-(3,6-anhydro)-cyclodextrin used in this composition corresponds to formula (I), in which all of the R1 groups represent the group xe2x80x94OCH2COOH and n is equal to 6.
This composition may be administered orally or by injection.
The aqueous solutions may contain up to 0.08 mol/l of the derivative corresponding to formula (I).
The quantities administered will depend on the level of contamination and the body weight of the patient.
The cyclodextrin derivatives according to the invention have numerous advantages. In particular, when they are per-substituted, in other words when all of the R1 groups are different to the group OH, the derivatives have good solubility in organic solvents such as chloroform, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, etc. This solubility is valuable when they are used in ionic separation, since it allows the separation to be carried out by liquid-liquid exchanges, which are well known to those skilled in the art.
Furthermore, the possibility of introducing one or several specific chemical groups enables complexing agents to be made to measure for a wide variety of ions. This facility is, moreover, amplified by the fact that the three natural cyclodextrins that may be used as raw materials have different cavity diameters, which can thus provide additional selectivity as regards the size of the ions to be separated.
The initial products with formulae (III) or (IV) used in the invention can be prepared by conventional procedures, such as those described in documents (2) by A. Gadelle et al. and (3) by P. R. Ashton et al. cited above.